Nintendo has revealed that upcoming titles for the Nintendo Switch console will absolutely need MicroSD cards in order for gamers to play certain games on the machine.

Some upcoming games for the console - such as NBA 2K18 - will require an SD card installed in the machine in order to be played, meaning there will be an extra cost in using the console for some players.

It's likely that most Nintendo titles won't require the extra memory space - the biggest game the company has released so far was The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild which was only 13GB.

However third-party titles such as NBA 2K18 and FIFA 18 are likely to take up more space due to the size of the assets used to create the games (which also release on PS4, Xbox One and PC - systems with much more storage).

Nintendo will be putting new icons and warnings on its boxart to ensure players know that some games will only operate with an extra piece of hardware installed.

"A microSD card will be needed for certain Nintendo Switch games that contain an especially large amount of content and require additional storage for players to enjoy the full experience,” a statement from Nintendo details.

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However, if you're unable to get your hands on a MicroSD card, you will be able to play portions of the games that require the storage.

"If you purchase a physical version of a game that requires an additional microSD memory card, you will be able to play a portion of the game right out of the box (for example, specific levels or modes)," a spokesperson for Nintendo of America told IGN.

You'll need an SD card to enjoy the full experience, however:

"To enjoy the full game, downloading additional data is required. Depending on the storage requirements for each game, it may be necessary to purchase a microSD card to expand storage space," the spokesman continued.

Digital purchases of games aren't exempt from the storage concerns, either:

“When purchasing a digital version of the game, it may also be necessary to purchase a microSD card depending on the game’s storage requirements and the storage available on the consumer’s Nintendo Switch console."

This news first surfaced with the announcement of new Switch-themed Micro SD Cards being launched.

These new microSDXC cards will be available in 64GB and 128 GB sizes and will feature the Nintendo Switch logo on them. The new cards will be manufactured by Sandisk.

You can use other microSD cards in the Nintendo Switch, too, but it's worth noting that Nintendo recommends cards up to 2TB and also recommends a UHS-I (Ultra High Speed) Micro SD solution for the system.

UHS-3 cards - a more expensive version of the SD cards - can also be used, but UHS-1 is better because they're cheaper and the 30MB/s write speed of UHS-3 cards only results in a negligible difference on the console itself.